Import Export Business

This Import Export Business blog is dedicated to providing you with news, information and resources about the business of international trade. You will find the information useful to both business owners who wish to begin exporting or expand their export markets and new entrepreneurs seeking the basics of how to get started.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Recession? Depression And The Import Export Business

One of the main questions I get from people who call or emailme asking about starting an import export business involves thecurrent state of the economy.

Quite frankly and honestly, it is bad and probably going to get alot worse before it begins to turn around. Personally, I do notbelieve that either political party can do much about it and sincemost of them are lawyers, they have little, if any, real businessexperience or comprehension of how or what it takes to operatea business.

If you are contemplating starting a business, make sure it is oneyou are really interested in because it is going to be a lot tougherto succeed now than it was just 6 months ago.

The Import Export Business is not for everyone. YOU must decideif it is really what you want to do and if it is, make the decisionnow to move forward and do it.

If you wait for a politician or government statistician to tell youwhen is the right time to get started or when we have "turned thecorner", you are simply allowing another human being dictate yourlife's future. A human being, that is what makes up government,remember that - they are as subject to mistakes, miscalculations,fraud, waste and abuse and any of those deadheads being paidbillions of dollars while their corporations are going bankrupt.

Take control of your life now, whether we are in a recession ordepression and move forward based on YOU and the intelligence youwere given.

So with that said, I wanted to post an excerpt from a book titled:

The Davis Dynasty by John Rothchild the subject of which is theGreat Depression of the 1930's:

Rothchild writes: "The Great Depression didn't destroy commerce,any more than the mislabeled Dark Ages destroyed culture.Zippo lighters, Frito corn chips, Skippy peanut butter andThree Musketeers candy bars appeared on retail shelves in 1932."People still started businesses. Revlon got its start in 1932,for instance. "Life went on. People went shopping. Some bought rugs.Even in the worst of times, Art Loom stayed in business."

Art Loom was the creation of the Wasserman family. It sold rugs.

Recession? Depression?? Don't let it or some government employee(remember they serve you and I) dictate how you will live outyour life in the coming months and years.

OK, here is one of the latest Questions and Answers from myemail collection:

QUESTION:

One of the first products I wanted to trade in constructionmaterials is cement. I found a company I would like to dealwith because of their size and many locationsaround the world. After some weeks of weeding out thewrong people to talk to, it seems I may have stumbled onthe right person.

If you have the time, I am sending my correspondence with himand is from last to first of our communications.

I am wondering if you might steer me in the right direction.

All I would need is FOB pricing, depending on quantity,from any particular manufacturing site they may have around the world.

Do you think he may be asking me for actual orders I may have now,or just the type of relationship I wish to create with them?

ANSWER:

First, you have encountered one of the primary reasons why Ido not like email as a means of making initial contact. It would havebeen much more reliable and faster to just pick up the phone andcall this gentleman and it would be my recommendation for anyfollow up to either get to an agreement or find out they are notinterested.

Second, you have to decide what it is you are, i.e., an EMC generallybuys the product for resale to your importing customers - an exportagent/broker works on a commission basis by bringing the two partiestogether and earning a commission from the seller/manufacturer.

Third, back to number one - this gentleman is unsure of what it isyou are asking or requiring of him and his company - a short 5 minutephone call would clarify that and you would soon know if he isinterested in working with you.

*** NEW ADDED NOTE not in original correspondence - I cannot emphasizeenough about making initial contact by some other means other thanEmail. For some reason, our ISP does not like the emaildomain name of a long time business associate of ours - despiteapproving his domain and email "multiple" times, our ISP puts all ofhis emails into the sp*am folder. Some ISP's are even more strict anddelete them outright.

The first part of this question was answered because there had beenmultiple attempts to make contact with the supplier by email andthere was then some problem in the supplier misunderstanding thecommunication. A quick phone call will alleviate this type ofdelay and also help eliminate any misunderstanding of what you areproposing.

One additional suggestion - in your calls and correspondence - tryto refer to your business in the plural - we - it just sounds morebusinesslike than using I.

Bottom line is that email is a very poor means of makinginitial contact, but great means after you have established apoint of contact to deal with. I use both methods but rely moreheavily on phone for initial contacts.

About Me

Started Coble International in 1988 with the express purpose of providing Export Import marketing assistance to manufacturers and providing B2B products and services to the global B2B community. Our business expanded exponentially in the late 1990's when we launched our website ImportExportHelp.com. The Internet was and continues to be the best marketing tool for ALL businesses, anywhere in the world. The Import Export business training courses we once offered have been used by community colleges, busineses and individuals around the world and our B2B marketing databases have been used by companies in 70 countries to expand their markets.